My name is Ken Pinkela. I am a US Army Lieutenant Colonel, and in June 2012, I was wrongly convicted of exposing someone to the HIV virus. Since then, the main witness against me has recanted, explaining how he was coerced into giving misleading testimony. I am fighting to have my case reviewed by Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth and MG Allen M. Pepin, Commanding General Military District of Washington, as the only 2 officials authorized to directly order a review and change the outcome of my wrongful military court-martial.  

I served my country for more than 26 years in the US Army and now that sacrifice has been erased by my wrongful conviction for exposing another soldier to HIV. Not only am  I innocent--the accuser and I were never intimate--the Department of Defense has been criticized for prosecuting people with HIV, bringing charges in cases like mine that are not based on any medically accurate understanding of how HIV is transmitted and treated. 

Without any evidence, I was convicted, spent 272 days in prison, and lost all my benefits: retirement, medical insurance for both combat related injuries and the HIV treatment that I require. I won't even get a flag for my coffin when I die. These charges have ruined my life. I have lost the freedom which I fought to defend for nearly three decades. And I have lost the honor of being able to serve my country. My final hope is to get my case reviewed and to have the phylogenetic medical evidence, still currently available with the US Army HIV Laboratory, made available to the courts and my case dismissed. 

The prosecution's only witness has recanted his testimony. He describes being threatened by Army prosecutors, being lied to and says that the prosecution led him in his testimony. This should be reason enough to have my case reexamined and get the charges against me dismissed. That will allow me to get my life back and continue to serve my country and support my family. Please join me in asking Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth to grant me a review of my court-martial, so that I can retire for my 29 years of service to my country with the honor and dignity I deserve.